Bucharest to Budapest through Transylvania Mountains onboard CFR sleeper train 

Shout-out from Germany to all Romanian friends who commented objectivily and friendly below this video, I really liked it!

Trust me, my friend, the crew on that train treat all people in the same bad way. It is not important if you are Romanian or foreigner. They are simply unpleasant to everybody. Good video.

I was glad to see that you presented in a good image your journey with the Romanian train. We in Romania are not satisfied because we always know that it can be much better .. including the time when we could arrive. We still have to "fix" some political problems and notions.

03:38 " Wooden style, quite old school but I like this feeling" Said no romanian ever

You must know that, the trains staff are the same also with romanians. This is their way to work... We need really improvement to the quality of services, staff, rolling stock etc.

5:35 The Hyperion train (EMU) of romanian private operator Softrans! SUPER VIDEO! 👍

Wow, so nice. Romania and Hungary are two of the most exciting and “exotic” countries in Europe, to my taste. Thanks for taking us on this journey between Bucharest and Budapest, through the region of Transylvania. Have been in Budapest and Hungary, now a journey like yours would be something to continue with.

The wagons realy look like old german ones. Amazing to see after so long time and a amazing video. Thank you.

INSFARSIT CINEVA CARE SPUNE CA CFR-UL NU E CHIAR ASA DE RAU!!! :)))

I love Romania...Greetings from Armenia......

My mother arrived here from Switzerland in March 1938 and my grandmother / aunt from Vienna in February 1938. I forgot to visit when I was in Bucharest. Great to see the station. Many people in Bucharest then spoke French; the 2nd language. It is also close to Italian.

A pity you didn't travel in sleeping car. The CFR AVA 200 sleepers are really good, and they are Romanian own-built (Astra Arad). About these couchette cars: they originally had no air conditioning at all. This "original" version is still in traffic in Hungary and Slovakia (owned by Wagon Service Slovakia). CFR coaches were modernized in CFR works Bucharest Grivita, and now have the AC system added.

Yes, it is an old German coach. This type has been delivered first in 1967 as Bctüm 256 by LHB (Linke-Hofmann-Busch) with 3 preference compartments (3-berth-compartment wich could opened with another preference compartment to form a much bigger compartment than usual) in the middle, 4 normal 6-berth-compartments on one end and 3 normal 6-berth-compartments on the other end. The "t" in the designation indicates the usage in what was called "Turnusverkehr" (hence the "t"), which meant it was used by travel agencies. In 1976, the designation was changed to Bctm 256. The coaches later got a makeover by AW (Ausbesserungswerk, repair centre) Münster and AW Krefeld-Oppum with central ventilation, sockets for razors in the washing rooms, new colours inside and carpets. Delivery took place from 1981 to 1983 as Bctmh 257. There were no Bctm 256 left. Bogies used were Minden-Deutz 33 (with block brakes) and Minden-Deutz 36 (with disc brakes). Maximum speed was 140 kph (MD 33) or 160 kph (MD 36). Empty weight was 38,9 t (Bctm 256) and 40 t (Bctmh 257). The coaches were equipped with 2 WC rooms, 3 washing rooms and 1 guard compartment, which contained a 150 l fridge. The coaches fully complied to the UIC Standards. They were in service at DB (Deutsche Bundesbahn) until dec. 31th 1993, then from jan. 1st 1994 at DB (Deutsche Bahn AG) until end of DB night train operations 2016.

Hmm, I’m Romanian and I’m not sure if they can really tell which seats are taken. I mean the ladies at the cash register when you buy the ticket can definitely tell that cause they see all available seats, but i don’t know if the train conductor can do so too. They dont have any digital software or checking tickets and keeping evidence. If you board the train and have a ticket for the seat you’re on then they will verify the ticket and thats it.

Your reports are fantastic! :) Unfortunately, CFR (national railway company) still has a lot of work to do on the quality of services. In Romania, the crew is not like in Central/Western Europe. They just check the tickets. They do not ask passengers if they need anything or if they had a pleasant trip. Most of them do not speak English (or other foreign language). There are no voice announcements, restaurant wagons are very rare. There are no offers included in the ticket price: for example, a bottle of water and a sandwich for those who have a 1st class ticket or sleeping car ticket, etc. Why? Marketing is zero ... And people are not encouraged to travel by train (travel takes longer than the bus, for example). Things start moving, but very slowly. Despite these, I prefer to travel by train :) Anyway, the fact that you are traveling alone (as I see from your reports) encourages me to do the same. Congratulations! Best regards from Romania! :)

Greetings from Tennessee USA the most beautiful country Romania ....cu dor.... God bless Romania and United States of America

Finally a restaurant coach! A few years ago there weren’t any and some coaches were by MÁV (Hungarian Railways). Awesome video and thanks for doing my idea.

Thanks for the video! We lived in Romania in 2012 and 2013 (and came back a bit in 2014), but sadly never took the train. Henri Coandă has become a really nice airport. I hope they can do the same someday with Gara de Nord.

6:52 - You are not yet in Transilvania, the border station between Wallachia and Trasilvania was Predeal when Transilvania was part of the Habsburg Empire. At km. 113 you're aproaching Comarnic, which was in Wallachia for always. 7:24 - He doesn't know because, eventually, the directors of CFR Călători realized that some conductors used to sell the remaining beds without issuing a ticket (and then locking the car and go to sleep). So they were left out of it and now they are not informed in advance about what beds are sold... this also menas you can buy a sleeping or couchette car ticket from the ticket office up to 5 minutes before the trains departure from that station, not with max. 60 minutes before the train departs the starting point.

Love your trip reports , would love to see you in some of them !!!

Seat coaches are Astra Arad AVA200, licenced from De Dietrich (now Alstom). That is why they look like SNCF Corail coaches...

I really enjoyed your 'first person camera' portrayal of this journey. I felt like I was there. I think the concept of no presenter in shot, no voice just subtitles with smileys works really well, a welcome change from some jolly, self-obsessed TV personality hogging the shot all the time. I once did this journey from Bucharest to Budapest myself. The Romanian train was quite old with frilly curtains like out of a Dracula movie. The announcement tone at Budapest Keleti Palyaudvar was also amusing. Some time you must do the exciting 8 minute journey from Stockport to Manchester and back, my regular trip!

These cars were built from 1967 as Bctüm 256 for DB and Touropa in West Germany. They are 27.5 m long (so among the longest passenger cars worldwide) and have three "Vorzugsabteile" (preferential compartments) in the middle. Originally those compartments could be divided into two 3-berth compartments, hence the two narrow windows side by side. They were used primarily in seasonal touristic trains. During the years they were modernized a few times, some were sold to CFR and I think the air conditioning system is new, they also got skirts and a new air intake for the air conditioner. Good if it works well. According to the inscription the first class compartments are on one end but they are actually in the middle (where the ride is quietest). These compartments are more spacious and only sold for up to four passengers by CFR. As they are now more than fifty years old, they certainly appear a bit old-fashioned ... Internationally they are also used to Wien Hbf and that's where I see them sometimes. CFR isn't a "nightjet-partner" of ÖBB (I guess the service level isn't up to the same standard) so the nightly train Wien - Bucuresti isn't very well known. Your car might be the oldest of the train (the bar-bistro car was rebuilt from an older type too, I don't know much about it). And the ride is very long because the lines don't allow high speeds (the same is true for all of the Balkan railways, no high or "higher" speed in sight anywhere).

i love the jingle its so strange but unique. when i visit my family thats the most exiting thing about the entire trip i am always hyped to hear this sound

You really made me want to travel by train when it seemed like a burden before watching this (especially since I live in Romania, and 2nd class for shorter rides is waay worse). I started saving up money for me and my girlfriend, and I hope in the summer we will have a nice trip, because it seems very cute and cozy. Very nice video! Thanks a lot!

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ahead.

Next time when you come to Romania I recommend you to use the Astra Trans Carpatica private trains from Bucharest to Arad, similar cars, but newly built, extremely modern and the prices are similar with the CFR ones.

Ok, finally I'm passing across all Europe with train...together with you. Thanks and greetings from Macedonia 🇲🇰

6:20-Is not really so train friendly.The main problem is that the trains go too sloooow.With a modern train the travel would take 4-5 hours instead of 16 hours!!

I think he didn't know indeed, he couldn't have checked anywhere to see if there is another reservation to tell you. People usually don't buy train tickets online in Romania. Loved your video! 😁

Sorry to hear about the Staff. Im glad you had a good trip tho :)

Thanks for a glimpse into the rail connection Bucharest to Budapest. I hope to be in Romania in 2021 on a tour that ends in Bucharest. I have been considering a stopover in Budapest or Barcelona before flying home. I haven't traveled by train much and this might be fun.

Another great video 👍🏻

J’ai bien profité Merci pour cette vidéo Thibault , continue comme ça 😉🙂 !

I went to Mangalia around September last year. I never really traveled by train much except for my summers in Italy and the trains there generally left a good impression. Started north-east heading towards south-east, no announcer for the trains or any electronic signs signaling which train comes and where it goes. Inside the trains I had to always look on Google Maps to know where I should switch trains because there wasn't any announcer inside either. Only one train ended up being really bad, as in it smelled so fucking bad you couldn't breathe, but I managed to move in another wagon. Edit: Talking about CFR Calatori.

Beautiful journey!

Hi and happy Christmas 🎄 Great rail journey 👍🏻 I’d love to take a trip like that 😄

Yep, there are 1 and 2 couchette cars, produced by Veb Waggonbau Görlitz (Germany) and upgraded in Bucharest Grivita. They have a maximum speed of 140 km / h and have the right of international traffic. You've booked for a really good coach. We also have, but sleeper not couchette, WLABmee 71-31 series sleeping cars which are not air-conditioned (not all choaches) and that's not good in the Summer. That stage with the ladder, I've never seen anything like this, but it's Romania with many surprises, so ... 😂😂 You didn't shoot the Budapest Keleti train station a bit :( , it's more beautiful than Bucharest North. Great trip report! BIG Like! 😁

Good ride! Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful Video 😍😍😍.... Lovely places 💗

Oh the bliss of being able to open a window ans tick your head out. The older HSTs in Britain had vestibule windows like that. Very handy on a stuffy day

Love Romania, such a beautiful country...

I enjoy that you're not speaking, because reading is much more relaxing. Nice video!

I think staff vary like anywhere in the world. I took this train but going the other way from Budapest to Bucharest and was in a sleeper and had no issues at all, in fact the conductor was brewing coffee next morning as we were going through the Bucegi Mountains toward Predeal and Sinaia and he invited me for a cup of fresh coffee. Had a good chat, his English was okay and my Romanian at the time a few years ago was bad, now much better. So I had no issues and since then I take CFR trains every year multiple times all over Romania, including the Prietenia to Moldova. Yes some conductors bit direct but not all. In terms of the stock, not all look pretty particularly outside, but inside most are comfortable; you are lucky though to get good AC!!...some IR trains in summer with no AC are like ovens!...nice vid though.

I dont usually like and comment, but i really enjoyed this video. Would love more!

Great Trip Report

I subscribed this is awesome! As an Aviation Geek in Romania seeing this was awesome!

What a long train journey from Bucharest to Budapest ! From where I live (Warsaw, Poland) it takes just under 6 hours to get to Berlin and around 7 h to Vienna.

Very nice trip report as always Thibault

There is also a train that does the journey in daylight, taking only 14 hours. What was bad is that there was no restaurant car, nor food wagon, no way at all to get food or drink during the journey. What was charming is that at every small station that the train went through (without stopping) in Romania, the Station Master was out on the platform to greet the train as we went past.

Good trip report!

Nice to know, I'm planing a trip to Budapest for this year and I was thinking about going by road, but if the fares are ok, an offline buffer of movies and junk food will make this a great trip, as I never went on longer trips than Bucharest-Cluj-Napoca by train.

romanian is indeed similar to french, 75% lexical simillarity, both languages are latin

Merci encore une fois pour ce trip report.

Omg i love this kind of vids will defenetly watch more 😊

An interesting report! :)

Nice video, those coaches have the same livery as British MK3 coaches used to in BR times

I've done this trip twice and really loved it. The first was a very old (but well maintained) Italian sleeper. Ime Central/Eastern Europe conductors usually don't know how many sleeper/couchettes have been sold so to the extent they understood your question it made no sense to them. For what it's worth I find service in Romania is very good for the region (especially if you make any effort to say a few words in Romanian). I love Hungary but the service tends to be much more brusque....

The strange jingle in Gara de Nord station is actually from an old song "Glasul Rotilor de Tren" (the voice of the train wheels)

Another great video

that funny jingle is called "the voice of the train wheels" :)

Nice vid! Soon the nighttrain from Brussels tot Vienna will start operating! Maybe it's nice to review it?

À very good travel, the " Wagon de dormit" are old- school but nice and beautiful...

Very good views

Welcome to Romania set ur watch a century ago.

Nice vlog!

Not so many years ago I was staying in Bulgaria, resort Golden Sands..nearest city Varna, a short cab drive away. We wanted to catch the train to Sofia- around 200 miles away (a bit over 320 kilometers or so) then we checked and saw the journey took over 8 hours! Yikes...even with British Rail (well, Virgin Trains nowadays) that would be the same from Manchester near me to London which takes just over 2 hours ..didn't go in the end, although now I wished I did..thanks for the ride, all the best from the UK

I'm terribly sorry that my people weren't nice to you, I feel ashamed to be honest, I hope that this has changed in the meantime. I would encourage you to give Romania another try in the future and please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you need and advice or help on how to travel through my country ❤️

Central Europe is famous for its customer service ! But the train was nice and clean. Shower is a great plus

Good sight!it looks like you'd need a monocular telescope to see that departure board!

I subscribed for this trip report. I saw it on your insta

The coach reminded me of the Belgian AM96, I know its not those, but they look similar

Haven't used the train to/frm Romania for a long time. But it seems to have slowed down a bit. Video states that Bucuresti Nord to Budapest (presumable Keleti) takes > 16hrs? In the early 1970's I regularly used the Orient Express (Paris - Bucuresti) and the Wiener Walzer (Bucuresti - Vienna) between Vienna and Brasov. That was also 16+ hrs. At that time the border checks A/H + H/RO took more than 1hr each. From/to Curtici pulled by an actual steam locomotive. But at least the sleeper cars were still Vagon Lits..Even with french steward.

The couchette you take is 2nd class. The sleeping car is 1st class. I know becouse I’ve just finish my trip to Budapest with the same train. It was a nice experience altought it was quite expensive (around 340 euro for me and my wife on sleeping car, 1st class). We didn’t have a restaurant car, but we make that trip in 14 hours.

nah bruv,the staff is always like that,even with their compatriots

Nice countries, nice train journey 👍🏻❤️

I was expecting the worst.:) Ma asteptam la ce i mai rau

I took the opposite route but stepping off at Brasov, they even gave us tasty bread and tea for breakfast. But a long wait at Episcopia for passport control at midnighr too.

Very good video!!

Well made trip report. Trains in Romania have a very low average speed.

I done the same ride last summer. Despite paying for a 1st class couchette, the showers were not working. Had to wait until Wien for that.

Cool video! I hope someday I'll manage to visit some foreign countries. Cheers from Poland! :)

Perfect 👍🏻

You should try out the Kálmán Imre EC from Budapest-Keleti to München Hbf

Good Video..! greetings from India 🇮🇳

Excellent review (as usual). I noted a missing fire extinguisher at 8:50 and unfortunately, for some reason, the Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian railway undertakings are not too fussed about weed-spraying. Hopefully there will be more overnight sleeper train patronage post-Covid 19. Alas Ireland is too small!

Very interesting to see your insights. I've wanted to catch this train for a while, but it's just too expensive. :(

you are right, its an old German sleeping car/couchette. Cushion is new, but WC is very original -_even the toilet brush_ ;))

GREAT channel!👍 I would like to ask you, if you can add the month/year in your videos in which the journey was? THX in advance!

En traversant la Transylvanie, tu aurais pu avoir autre chose qu'une vielle dame comme compagnon de route. Tu l'as échappé belle ! :-p

They may not have many shops, but they have an amusement arcade, I'm pleased to see.

am facut constanta timisoara de am rupt cfr-u :))) si am fost foarte multumit👍

I am bulgarian, living in Germany and I travel with this train every year twice and I like it. It is very slow, but is away better than the bulgarian trains. The stuff was never freindly, but for me is this nothing new. Everywhere in east Europe is the stuff not friendly.

Very interesting.

That fresh rolling stock(the yellow EMU) is an EMU made in Romania named Hyperion.

So beatifull train

Glad to see you in Romania, sorry for your problems with romanian staff, oh well, they are not racist or anything like that. Trust me, i am romanian and still have this kind of problems, some of them (most of them , i ques) are just having problems in customer area. We are learning to behave . Again Thank You for your beautiful review.

Good report. I like your reviews. Felicitations! Were you able to.film in the bar/restaurant carriage? I traveled by train last summer from Sibiu to Brasov then Bucharest. Good experience. The newer yellow train you saw is from a private company. I think two or three alternative train companies operate in Romania. Keep up the good work. I do a mix of train and flight videos myself.

Big up from Romania!

9:50 very clean toilet? Have you seen the toilet brush?